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2008-10-31

Please join us for Cats on Campus' first annual Meow-o-Ween Costume Party and Fundraiser. Entertainment begins at 8pm at Herty Field and will include a dress-as-your-favorite-cat costume contest, live music by Charles Huff, Halloween oldies karaoke, a pumpkin carving contest, face painting, and a raffle. Refreshments, appetizers, and desserts will be served. $5 donation suggested.

2008-10-29

I am seeking an attorney who can serve as my mentor when I pass the Georgia bar. This will fulfill a mandatory continuing legal education requirement for me, but I also want to use this as an opportunity to find an attorney in the Athens area who sincerely wants to help the legal profession by passing on professional values and judgment.

The program is called the Transition Into Law Practice Program, and mentors must be appointed by the Supreme Court. The requirements to serve in this program include five years of bar admission and professional liability insurance. If you are an attorney interested in serving in this program to help new lawyers in the near future, please read this information from the state bar. If you are interested in helping me in the near future after I am admitted to the bar, please e-mail me. I have met a lot of interesting people through this blog, so I figure my message here is worth a shot.

This mentor program is new, so most attorneys have not heard of it. The new requirements restrict the law practice of newly sworn attorneys, so it will be urgent that I complete certain steps in the program soon after admission.

2008-10-27

What makes The Grit restaurant such a popular Athens institution? It is a unique vegetarian restaurant between the downtown and the Normaltown areas. I cannot deny its power to fill tables and add to the fame and character of Athens. However, it also has its critics. Some customers are inconvenienced by the restaurant's policy of not splitting checks, and others are annoyed by surly servers. (I will say that I have seen a server persuaded to split a check, and the server at my last visit was quite friendly.)

My own criticism is that the food is usually rather bland. I have tried food from different parts of the menu and found that most everything lacks flavor and seasoning. I am surprised that The Grit specializes in vegetarian dishes yet I've had much better vegetarian meals elsewhere. The sandwiches are a safe choice, but that is about all I would recommend. On the other hand, my wife has made a couple of delicious meals by following recipes in The Grit cookbook.

Step Back in Time! The 36th Annual Harvest Festival is scheduled for Friday, October 24 from 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Lyndon House Arts Center and the Athens Area Community Council on Aging.

This annual celebration of old time crafts and rural life gives participants of all ages a way to learn about some of Georgia’s history first hand. There will be over fifty live demonstrations of quilting, woodworking, spinning, weaving, and soap making.

Georgia is a collaboration of Creative Writing Professor Andrew Zawacki, visiting Dance facultymember Denise Posnak, acclaimed percussionist Seth Hendershot and Digital Media BFA candidate Jocelyn Negron. The quartet will conduct a formal exploration of the parallels and interferences between ear and eye, proceeding from the short lyric poem Georgia by Surrealist writer Philippe Soupault and culminating in a series of short performances in locations throughout the state.

2008-10-20

Curious abut when that picture was taken? Jose Blanco, PhD., assistant professor of the University of Georgia’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences, will teach you how to use the clothes in photographs to help date the time period when the photo was taken. You are invited to bring old photos to the presentation.

Presented by the

Clarke-Oconee Genealogical Society

and

the Athens-ClarkeCounty Library

in the Auditorium.

Free and open to the public

Call 706 613-3650 ext 350 for information.

Dr. Blanco is manager of the college’s Historic Clothing and Textile Collection. He is originally from Costa Rica and has a Ph.D. in Theater from FloridaStateUniversity. His current research focuses on dress and popular culture in the second half of the twentieth century with an emphasis on male fashion. He is also interested in the relation between fashion and art.

2008-10-17

Blue Bell Gallery Presents their 3nd Annual: "HAUNTINGS" Exhibition - Dark Works by Local Georgia Artists (including me -- robin fay!). Exhibiting Dark Side Explorations during the month of October with a reception on the eve of Saturday, October 18th @ 7pm. The reception will include a storytelling session by Tales by Stephanie Astalos-Jones at around 7:30 p.m.

The above pictured person is wanted for questioning in a stabbing incident that occurred on Sept. 19, 2008 in Athens-Clarke County, GA. The victim was stabbed approximately nine times and spent numerous days in the hospital. The suspect is known by the nickname "Cholo."

Cholo has since fled his home in Athens and may have gone to Winder, GA. Cholo may be traveling in a stolen dark green 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse with a cracked windshield and no tag.

Anyone with information on the identity or whereabouts of the person pictured above should contact Sergeant Christopher Nichols of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department at 706-613-3337 ext. 302.

2008-10-13

Athens is often thought of as a small town, but it is plenty big enough to have confusing street name issues.

Edgewood Drive: There are two Edgewoods, one in the Kingswood Subdivision and the other off Whitehead Road. I don't know the official history, but in an effort to distinguish them the one in Kingswood is called Edgewood Drive and the other one is called Edgewood Road. Unfortunately, the post office calls them both Edgewood Drive, and they share a range of street numbers, and they're both in the same ZIP code. There are some problems with duplicate addresses: for instance, the county tax assessor has two different properties called "145 Edgewood Dr." It is apparent that the government needs to fix this problem. There was an article about it in OnlineAthens.com ("Mix-ups hitting home on streets bearing same name.")

Atlanta Highway: Other communities have roads called "Atlanta Highway," and they are not always the same route since a lot of highways go to Atlanta, obviously. In Athens the confusion is over where it starts. As West Broad Street goes toward Atlanta, the name changes to Atlanta Highway somewhere around the Middle Oconee River. If you are telling me to go somewhere on Atlanta Highway but it's really called West Broad Street, then I'm thinking about a different part of town. To make matters worse, this route is designated as the U.S. Highway 78 Business route, a different route from the regular U.S. Highway 78.

Oconee Street/Oak Street/Lexington Road: If you follow the Highway 78 Business route southeast out of downtown, the road name changes a lot. First you are on Oconee Street, but the route becomes Oak Street where "Oconee Street" actually takes a right turn. And then guess what? The road becomes Oconee Street again where the other "Oconee Street" doglegs back onto Highway 78 Business. If you continue, you'll drive under the Perimeter Highway overpass and then the road becomes Lexington Road when you drive past the intersection with Barnett Shoals Road. I don't know the history, but the Oconee/Oak confusion suggests that intersections were rebuilt at some point in the past to divert traffic on and off Oak Street. Maybe a reader here can write a comment if anyone knows the story.

Numbered Streets: In many cities you'll find streets called First Street, Second Street, and so forth in the downtown area, but not in Athens. Our downtown grid doesn't use a traditional naming scheme. Our numbered streets are in a residential area outside of downtown, and they don't even form an orderly grid. This area has an Odd Street, but this name is given to three segments that are not even connected in one continuous path.

2500 West Broad Street: I wanted to point out this mystery. This is an office complex located on the odd-numbered (southern) side of the street. Travelers could potentially have trouble finding it because they would be looking on the wrong side. The two properties to the east of it are numbered 2465 and 2455. I also don't know the story, and the Jackson Company Realtors have not replied to my e-mails asking about it. (While this is the mailing address, the tax assessor calls it 2500 Atlanta Highway, adding to the confusion about where West Broad Street ends and Atlanta Highway begins.)

Please post comments about any other road name confusion you have encountered in Athens. I didn't even want to get started on "Milledge."

This week the Town and Gown Players bring us the story of four superheroes trying to solve their personal existential crises as they live in a city with no crime to fight. In "Meanwhile, Back at the Superlair," the Human Fly, Leopard Woman, Rhino Man, and Silver Streak have college degrees but no real careers. They have lived together as roommates for years trying to get their lives in order until one day a real emergency arises to challenge their teamwork and nontraditional superpowers.

Playwright Greg Kalleres will be in town to see this, the third performance anywhere, of his comedy. The Town and Gown Players tell us this about him:

Playwright Greg Kalleres graduated with a BFA from Tisch's Dramatic Writing Program. His plays have been produced in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Berkeley and Bloomington, IN. He received the "Certificate of Excellence" from the Kennedy Center's Full-length Play Contest and has won “Best Play” twice at Turnip Theatre’s 15 Minute Play Festival in New York City. In addition, Greg has written commercials for ESPN's SportsCenter, Nike, Jordan and New York Magazine.

This is a Second Stage production showing for one weekend only, October 17 through 19. Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m., and the Sunday matinee is at 2 p.m. All tickets are $5 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Georgia is a collaboration of Creative Writing Professor Andrew Zawacki, visiting Dance faculty member Denise Posnak, acclaimed percussionist Seth Hendershot and Digital Media BFA candidate Jocelyn Negron. The quartet will conduct a formal exploration of the parallels and interferences between ear and eye, proceeding from the short lyric poem Georgia by Surrealist writer Philippe Soupault and culminating in a series of short performances in locations throughout the state.

2008-10-10

Mr. Haircut # 1 is having a celebration today. They are celebrating their 40th anniversary in their downtown Broad Street location. They are giving away free haircuts, t-shirts, and products. If you need a trim, why not stop by and say hello, or just congratulate them. It is nice to see at least one business stay in one place downtown!

Both Danielsville & Watkinsville have their Fall Festivals on Oct. 18 (starts around 9 a.m.)

Danielsville: The 7th annual Danielsville Fall Festival offers liveentertainment, arts and crafts, food, childrens activities, auto show,5K run & more. The *Holman Autry Band* will be there and begin to play at 12:30 pm.

Watkinsville (Oconee Co.): 5k Scarecrow Run & Fun Run PLUS

Oconee County is gearing up for the 34th annual fall festival sponsored by the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce. The event will feature arts, crafts, food and entertainment. Parents can enjoy the festivities while their children participate in an assortment of activities, including moon walks, rock climbing and a spider jump.

....

The event will feature a special guest who will be attendance from 10 a.m. to noon. The guest's name had not been revealed by deadline.

Me, I'm the special guest! Just kidding. Watkinsville has a few artsy folks so there is usually some good stuff in a few of the booths.

2008-10-08

The ACCPD wants citizens to beware that residential burglaries, thefts and entering autos have increased dramatically during the past 8-10 months in various areas of ACC. Burglaries are even occurring in areas that have traditionally experienced relatively low crime rates.

The police department recommends that residents get to know their neighbors so that they know who is and who is not out of place in their respective communities. Also, helpful neighbors can watch for suspicious activities when other residents are away from home. Most residential burglary arrests during the past year have occurred because neighbors or victims called the police upon seeing something suspicious. There are also alarms available that will notify residents when a break-in occurs.

Student and low income residential neighborhoods are being disproportionately targeted by thieves. Both vehicles and rental property are being hit daily. All residents are encouraged to keep doors and windows locked and remove valuables from sight in cars. Thieves particularly are attracted to book bags, iPods, books and laptops in cars.

Residents should consider forming a Neighborhood Watch program. More information on neighborhood watches may be obtained by contacting Neighborhood Service Officer Katie Jones at 706-613-3358 X230.

Anyone who has information on suspects in burglaries or thefts are asked to contact Sgt. Randy Garrett at 706-353-4218 X149 or the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 706-613-3342.

ICE-Vision returns with a series of informal screenings on Wednesday nights in the auditorium of the new Lamar Dodd School of Art (first floor, room S150). BFA candidates Ash Sechler, Daniel Osborne, and Eddie Whelan select titles touching upon culture, science, and art. This week's selection is:

Spirit Space (2008, 82 minutes)

Challenging quantum physics theories and how they affect how we perceive the world ancientlyand today, both spiritually and scientifically. This film acts as a progressive "travel log" for human life attempting to answer questions that mankind has been seeking since the dawn of thought. Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?

2008-10-07

Forums for Clarke County Political Candidates Scheduled Oct. 9 and Oct. 16

Candidates for local political offices will participate in two public forums scheduled Oct. 9 and Oct. 16 at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education at the University of Georgia. Both forums will be broadcast live by radio station WUGA, 91.7 or 97.9 on the FM dial.

The forums will run from 7- 9 p.m. in Master’s Hall in the Georgia Center. Each will be preceded by a one-hour “meet-and-greet” in the foyer outside the hall at which candidates can talk with citizens and distribute campaign material.

The forums are sponsored by the Federation of Neighborhoods and the L.E.A.D. Athens Alumni Association.

The Oct. 9 forum will be for candidates for Georgia State Senate and Athens-Clarke County Commission. The Oct. 16 forum is for candidates for Clarke County Sheriff and Clarke County School Board.

Each forum will open with candidates making a brief statement. Candidates will then make timed responses to questions from the audience posed by a moderator. Questions will be screened by representatives of the sponsoring organizations to avoid duplication and ensure appropriateness.

The following candidates or their representative will participate:

State Senate District 46: Bill Cowsert and Sherry JacksonState Senate District 47: Ralph Hudgens and Tim RileyA-CC Commission District 6: Red Petrovs and Ed RobinsonA-CC Commission District 10: Mike HambyClarke County Sheriff: Ira Edwards and Kenneth BrownClarke County School Board District 2: Vernon Payne and J. T. JonesClarke County School Board District 6: Charles Worthy and Jim GeiserClarke County School Board District 8: Chinami Goodie and David Huff

2008-10-04

The challenge to Athens-Clarke County's noise ordinance by Athens residents William Hoffman and Robert Manlove is going to the Supreme Court of Georgia. Their lawsuit in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court was dismissed by Judge David Sweat in July, though other matters related to the litigation are still being heard by the court. Their attorney Charles A. "Chuck" Jones Jr. filed a notice of appeal, and the Supreme Court entered the case on their docket on Sept. 25 with case number S09A0118. Jones asserts that the noise ordinance is unconstitutional under state law. His brief will be due on Oct. 15, and the county's brief is due 20 days after that filing. Jones is requesting an oral argument for January.

-------------------------I wanted to let you know about an event going on toward the end of October, and see if you'd email information about it to students/teachers in the department. I'm helping lead an organization called FOLK (Furthering Our Local Knowledge), which is putting on a Fall Apple Festival on Saturday, October 25th. A large part of the event entails an art show/sale, and we're looking for artists to set up their works to show or to sell. It doesn't cost anything to table (and we'll provide the table), but we'd just need to know ahead of time (by October 20th) so we can set aside space. If anyone has any questions or would like to reserve a table, they can email me at abbyz@uga.edu or our general group at folkathens@gmail.com. Also, our group's website (for more info about the actual event) is www.folkathens.org. Thanks!